Underdog (1964 series)
Underdog is an American animated television series that debuted October 3, 1964, on the NBC network under the primary sponsorship of General Mills, and continued in syndication until 1973 (although production of new episodes ceased in 1967), for a run of 124 episodes. Underdog, Shoeshine Boy's heroic alter ego, appears whenever love interest Sweet Polly Purebred is being victimized by such villains as Simon Bar Sinister or Riff Raff. Underdog nearly always speaks in rhyming couplets, as in "There's no need to fear, Underdog is here!" His voice was supplied by the late Wally Cox. History In 1959, handling the General Mills account as an account executive with the Dancer Fitzgerald Sample advertising agency in New York, W. Watts Biggers teamed with Chet Stover, Treadwell D. Covington, and artist Joe Harris in the creation of television cartoon shows to sell breakfast cereals for General Mills. The shows introduced such characters as King Leonardo, Tennessee Tuxedo, and Underdog. Biggers and Stover contributed both scripts and songs to the series. When Underdog became a success, Biggers and his partners left Dancer Fitzgerald Sample to form their own company, Total Television, with animation produced at Gamma Studios in Mexico. In 1969, Total Television folded when General Mills dropped out as the primary sponsor (but continued to retain the rights to the series until 1995; however, they still own TV distribution rights through NBCUniversal Television Distribution). Abroad and in syndication The syndicated version of The Underdog Show consists of 62 half-hour episodes. The supporting segments differ from the show's original network run. The first 26 syndicated episodes feature Tennessee Tuxedo as a supporting segment (Tennessee Tuxedo originally aired as a separate show and also has its own syndicated adaptation). Thereafter, for most of the balance of the package, the middle segments include Go Go Gophers and Klondike Kat for three consecutive half-hours and Tennessee Tuxedo in the fourth. Commander McBragg is featured in the majority of episodes, replaced by three segments of The Sing-A-Long Family (in shows one-three, 28-30, and 55-57). The final two syndicated Underdog half-hours feature two one-shot cartoons that were originally part of an unsold pilot for a projected 1966 series, The Champion (Cauliflower Cabbie and Gene Hattree), with Commander McBragg appearing in show 61 and Go Go Gophers in show 62. The syndicated series, as shown in the United States, is a potpourri of segments from previously aired versions of the show. Prior to a 1994 remaster, each episode included a "teaser" at the top of the show, asking viewers to stay tuned for a clip from "today's four-part story." (This originates from a 1969–1973 NBC Saturday morning rerun version of the show.) However, never more than two parts of the Underdog stories were ever shown in any half-hour program. Prints of such would either be followed by a closing and credits or no credits at all. The closing (which showed the first portion of a variation of the Underdog theme showing a giant terrorizing the city with George S. Irving, the series narrator, saying, "Looks like this is the end! But don't miss our next Underdog Show!" in place of the theme music) followed by the end credits (re-edited from the cast credits for Underdog and Tennessee Tuxedo), originated from a 1965 repackaged syndicated series, Cartoon Cut-Ups, which originally featured Underdog, Tennessee Tuxedo, and Commander McBragg. For many years starting with NBC's last run in the mid-1970s, all references to Underdog swallowing his Super Energy Pill were censored, most likely out of fear that kids would see medication that looked like the Underdog pills (red with a white "U" on them) and swallow them. Two instances that did not actually show Underdog swallowing the pills remained in the show. In one, he drops pills into water supplies; in the other, his ring is damaged and he explains that it is where he keeps the pill—but the part where he actually swallows it was still deleted. Even some episodes, like Simon Says "No Thanksgiving", The Molemen, and The New Villain, were banned from Cartoon Network back in the 1990s due to dangerous-based concepts in two episodes and involved racial controversy in one. Most stories had multiple parts, but the first four were stand-alones: *"Safe Waif", the pilot, featured a rescue from a bank vault, but no villain. Underdog is shown causing major destruction while trying to help people. *"March of the Monsters", the first appearance of Sweet Polly Purebred, has giant robots running amok. *"Simon Says" is the first appearance of Simon Bar Sinister. "Simon says HOLD IT!" is the maniacal refrain, as Bar Sinister uses a weird camera to turn his victims into full-sized, two-dimensional photographs. *"Tricky Trap by Tap Tap" is the epilogue to the multi-part story "From Hopeless to Helpless" featuring Riff Raff. The show aired on Nickelodeon from June 1992 until the mid 1990s. Underdog also aired on Australian Broadcasting Corporation on February 18, 1966. In 1995, Biggers, Stover, Covington, and Harris (with General Mills) negotiated a sale of their creations to Saturday Night Live producer Lorne Michaels' Broadway Video, who later sold the rights to Golden Books. When Classic Media took over Golden Books, it acquired the underlying rights to Underdog. In 2012, Classic Media was sold to DreamWorks Animation, and ultimately became the property of the series' current owners, Universal Television. TV Guide ranked Underdog as number 23 on its "50 Greatest Cartoon Characters of All Time" list, and IGN ranked Underdog as number 74 on its Best 100 Animated Series list. Episodes ;Episode 1 *Underdog #1 (Episode 1: Safe Waif) (pilot cartoon; no on-screen title shown)'' *Tennessee Tuxedo #2 (The Rain Makers) (902, 972) *The Sing-A-Long Family #1 (Picnic) (Sing-A-Long Family cartoon titles are unofficial and do not appear on screen) (also appears in syndicated shows #328, 355)'' *Underdog #2 (Episode 2: The March Of The Monsters) ;Episode 2 *Underdog #3 (Episode 3: Simon Says) *Tennessee Tuxedo #4 (Telephone Terrors or Dial M For Mayhem) (904, 974) *The Sing-A-Long Family #2 (Skating) (also appears in syndicated shows #329, 356)'' *Underdog #32 (Episode 4: Tricky Trap By Tap Tap) (Note: Tricky Trap By Tap Tap is the epilogue of the four-episode serial From Hopeless To Helpless, which is featured later in the series in shows #315 and #316.)'' ;Episode 3 *Underdog #4 (Go Snow/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #5 (Giant Clam) (not The Giant Clam Caper)'' (905, 975) *The Sing-A-Long Family #3 (Fair) (also appears in syndicated shows #330, 357)'' *Underdog #5 (Go Snow/Episode 2) ;Episode 4 *Underdog #6 (Go Snow/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #6 (Tick Tock) (906, 976) *Commander McBragg #4 (The North Pole) *Underdog #7 (Go Snow/Episode 4) ;Episode 5 *Underdog #8 (Zot/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #7 (Scuttled Sculptor) (907, 977) *Commander McBragg #5 (Khyber Pass) *Underdog #9 (Zot/Episode 2) ;Episode 6 *Underdog #10 (Zot/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #8 (Snap That Picture!) (908, 978) *Commander McBragg #6 (Ace Of Aces) *Underdog #11 (Zot/Episode 4) ;Episode 7 *Underdog #12 (The Great Gold Robbery/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #9 (Zoo‘s News) (909, 979) *Commander McBragg #7 (Niagara Falls) *Underdog #13 (The Great Gold Robbery/Episode 2) ;Episode 8 *Underdog #14 (The Great Gold Robbery/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #10 (Aztec Antics) (910, 980) *Commander McBragg #8 (Dodge City Dodge) *Underdog #15 (The Great Gold Robbery/Episode 4) ;Episode 9 *Underdog #16 (Fearo/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #11 (Coal Minors) (not Coat Minors)'' (911, 981) *Commander McBragg #9 (Football By Tex Hex) *Underdog #17 (Fearo/Episode 2) ;Episode 10 *Underdog #18 (Fearo/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #12 (Hot Air Heroes) (912, 982) *Commander McBragg #10 (Rabelasia) *Underdog #19 (Fearo/Episode 4) ;Episode 11 *Underdog #20 (The Big Shrink/Episode 1) (not Shrinking Water)'' *Tennessee Tuxedo #13 (Irrigation Irritation) (913, 983) *Commander McBragg #11 (Okefenokee Swamp) *Underdog #21 (The Big Shrink/Episode 2) ;Episode 12 *Underdog #22 (The Big Shrink/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #14 (TV Testers) (914, 984) *Commander McBragg #12 (The Flying Machine) *Underdog #23 (The Big Shrink/Episode 4) ;Episode 13 *Underdog #24 (The Bubbleheads/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #15 (By The Plight Of The Moon) (915, 985) *Commander McBragg #13 (The Giant Elephant) *Underdog #25 (The Bubbleheads/Episode 2) ;Episode 14 *Underdog #26 (The Bubbleheads/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #17 (Bridge Builders) (917, 987) *Commander McBragg #14 (The Great Bird) (not The Giant Bird)'' *Underdog #27 (The Bubbleheads/Episode 4) ;Episode 15 *Underdog #28 (From Hopeless To Helpless/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #16 (Lever Levity) (916, 986) *Commander McBragg #15 (“Chicago” Mobster) *Underdog #29 (From Hopeless To Helpless/Episode 2) ;Episode 16 *Underdog #30 (From Hopeless To Helpless/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #18 (Howl, Howl, The Gang's All Here) (918, 988) *Commander McBragg #16 (The Monster Bear) *Underdog #31 (From Hopeless To Helpless/Episode 4) ;Episode 17 *Underdog #33 (The Witch Of Pickyoon/Episode 1) (not The Wicked Witch Of Pickyoon)'' *Tennessee Tuxedo #19 (Sail Ho!) (not Sail On, Sail On)'' (919, 989) *Commander McBragg #17 (The Kangaroo) *Underdog #34 (The Witch Of Pickyoon/Episode 2) ;Episode 18 *Underdog #35 (The Witch Of Pickyoon/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #20 (Tell-Tale Telegraph) (920, 990) *Commander McBragg #18 (The Giant Mosquito) *Underdog #36 (The Witch Of Pickyoon/Episode 4) ;Episode 19 *Underdog #37 (Weathering The Storm/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #21 (Rocket Ruckus) (921, 991) *Commander McBragg #19 (The Black Knight) *Underdog #38 (Weathering The Storm/Episode 2) ;Episode 20 *Underdog #39 (Weathering The Storm/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #22 (All Steamed Up) (not Getting Steamed Up)'' (922, 992) *Commander McBragg #20 (The Flying Pond) *Underdog #40 (Weathering The Storm/Episode 4) ;Episode 21 *Underdog #41 (The Gold Bricks/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #23 (Tale Of A Tiger) (923, 993) *Commander McBragg #21 (The Old Ninety-Two) *Underdog #42 (The Gold Bricks/Episode 2) ;Episode 22 *Underdog #43 (The Gold Bricks/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #24 (Dog Daze) (Sequel to Tennessee Tuxedo #18/''Howl, Howl, The Gang's All Here'') (924, 994)'' *Commander McBragg #22 (Our Man In Manhattan) (not Secret Agent In New York)'' *Underdog #44 (The Gold Bricks/Episode 4) ;Episode 23 *Underdog #45 (The Magnet Men/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #25 (Brushing Off A Toothache) (925, 995) *Commander McBragg #23 (Oyster Island) *Underdog #46 (The Magnet Men/Episode 2) ;Episode 24 *Underdog #47 (The Magnet Men/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #26 (Funny Honey) (926, 996) *Commander McBragg #24 (The Steam Car) *Underdog #48 (The Magnet Men/Episode 4) ;Episode 25 *Underdog #49 (The Phoney Booths/Episode 1) *Tennessee Tuxedo #1 (Mixed-Up Mechanics) (901, 971) *Commander McBragg #25 (Swimming The Atlantic) *Underdog #50 (The Phoney Booths/Episode 2) ;Episode 26 *Underdog #51 (The Phoney Booths/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #3 (The Lamplighters) (903, 973) *Commander McBragg #26 (Fort Apache) *Underdog #52 (The Phoney Booths/Episode 4) ;Episode 27 *Underdog #53 ''(Pain Strikes Underdog/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #1 (Moon Zoom) *Klondike Kat #1 (Honor At Steak) *Commander McBragg #27 (The Flying Trapeze) *Underdog #54 (Pain Strikes Underdog/Episode 2) ;Episode 28 *Underdog #55 (Pain Strikes Underdog/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #2 (Trojan Totem) *Klondike Kat #2 (Secret Weapon) *The Sing-A-Long Family #1 (Picnic) (also appears in syndicated shows #301, 355)'' *Underdog #56 (Pain Strikes Underdog/Episode 4) ;Episode 29 *Underdog #57 (The Molemen/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #3 (Introducing General Nuisance) *Klondike Kat #3 (The Big Fromage) *The Sing-A-Long Family #2 (Skating) (also appears in syndicated shows #302, 356)'' *Underdog #58 (The Molemen/Episode 2) ;Episode 30 *Underdog #59 (The Molemen/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #27 (The Treasure Of Jack The Joker) (not The Treasure Of Jack And The Joker) (927, 997)'' *The Sing-A-Long Family #3 (Fair) (also appears in syndicated shows #303, 357)'' *Underdog #60 (The Molemen/Episode 4) ;Episode 31 *Underdog #61 (The Flying Sorcerers/Episode 1) (not The Flying Sorceress)'' *Go Go Gophers #4 (Gatling Gophers) *Klondike Kat #4 (Hard To Guard) *Commander Mc Bragg #31 (Mystifying McBragg) *Underdog #62 (The Flying Sorcerers/Episode 2) ;Episode 32 *Underdog #63 (The Flying Sorcerers/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #5 (The Cleveland Indians) *Klondike Kat #5 (The Candy Mine) *Commander Mc Bragg #32 (Mammouth Cavern) *Underdog #64 (The Flying Sorcerers/Episode 4) ;Episode 33 *Underdog #65 (The Forget-Me-Net/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #6 (Medicine Men) *Klondike Kat #6 (Rotten To The Core) *Commander Mc Bragg #33 (The Astronaut) (also appears in syndicated show #358)'' *Underdog #66 (The Forget-Me-Net/Episode 2) ;Episode 34 *Underdog #67 (The Forget-Me-Net/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #28 (Wreck Of A Record) (928, 998) *Commander Mc Bragg #34 (Dam Break) (also appears in syndicated show #359)'' *Underdog #68 (The Forget-Me-Net/Episode 4) ;Episode 35 *Underdog #69 (Whistler's Father/Episode 1) (not Guerilla Warfare)'' *Go Go Gophers #7 (Mesa Mess) *Klondike Kat #7 (The Trap Baiting) (not Baiting The Trap) *Commander Mc Bragg #35 (The Eclipse) (also appears in syndicated show #360)'' *Underdog #70 (Whistler's Father/Episode 2) ;Episode 36 *Underdog #71 (Whistler's Father/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #8 (Termite Terror) (not Termite Trainers)'' *Klondike Kat #8 (Gravy Train) *Commander Mc Bragg #36 (Ship Of The Desert) (also appears in syndicated show #361)'' *Underdog #72 (Whistler's Father/Episode 4) ;Episode 37 *Underdog #73 (Simon Says "No Thanksgiving"/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #9 (Who's A Dummy) *Klondike Kat #9 (Cream Puff Buff) *Commander Mc Bragg #37 (Egypt) *Underdog #74 (Simon Says "No Thanksgiving"/Episode 2) ;Episode 38 *Underdog #75 (Simon Says "No Thanksgiving"/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #29 (Miner Forty-Niner) (929, 999) *Commander Mc Bragg #38 (The Singing Cowboy) *Underdog #76 (Simon Says "No Thanksgiving"/Episode 4) ;Episode 39 *Underdog #77 (The Silver Thieves/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #10 (Tapping The Telegraph) *Klondike Kat #10 (Plane Food) *Commander Mc Bragg #39 (The Lumberjack) *Underdog #78 (The Silver Thieves/Episode 2) ;Episode 40 *Underdog #79 (The Silver Thieves/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #11 (Bold As Gold) *Klondike Kat #11 (Banana Skinned) *Commander Mc Bragg #40 (The Bronco Buster) *Underdog #80 (The Silver Thieves/Episode 4) ;Episode 41 *Underdog #81 (Riffraffville/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #12 (Up In The Air) *Klondike Kat #12 (Up A Tree) *Commander Mc Bragg #41 (Echo Canyon) *Underdog #82 (Riffraffville/Episode 2) ;Episode 42 *Underdog #83 (Riffraffville/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #30 (Helicopter Hi-Jinks) (930, 1000) *Commander Mc Bragg #42 (Tightrope) *Underdog #84 (Riffraffville/Episode 4) ;Episode 43 *Underdog #85 (The Tickle Feather Machine/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #13 (The Big Banger) *Klondike Kat #13 (Pie Fly) *Commander Mc Bragg #43 (Lake Tortuga) *Underdog #86 (The Tickle Feather Machine/Episode 2) ;Episode 44 *Underdog #87 (The Tickle Feather Machine/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #14 (He's For The Berries) *Klondike Kat #14 (Jail Break) *Commander Mc Bragg #44 (Coney Island) *Underdog #88 (The Tickle Feather Machine/Episode 4) ;Episode 45 *Underdog #89 (Underdog Vs. Overcat/Episode 1) (not Underdog Vs. Overcoat)'' *Go Go Gophers #15 (Swamped) *Klondike Kat #15 (Fort Frazzle Frolics) *Commander Mc Bragg #45 (Rainbow Island) *Underdog #90 (Underdog Vs. Overcat/Episode 2) ;Episode 46 *Underdog #91 (Underdog Vs. Overcat/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #31 (Oil's Well) (931, 1001) *Commander Mc Bragg #46 (The Insect Collector) *Underdog #92 (Underdog Vs. Overcat/Episode 4) ;Episode 47 *Underdog #93 (The Big Dipper/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #16 (Tanks To The Gophers/Blankety Blank Blanket) *Klondike Kat #16 (Sticky Stuff) *Commander Mc Bragg #47 (Lost Valley) *Tooter Turtle #1 (Nusuiance/Subscribe) *Underdog #94 (The Big Dipper/Episode 2) ;Episode 48 *Underdog #95 (The Big Dipper/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #17 (Indian Treasure) *Klondike Kat #17 (Who's A Pill) *Commander Mc Bragg #48 (The Orient Express) *Underdog #96 (The Big Dipper/Episode 4) ;Episode 49 *Underdog #97 (Just In Case/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #18 (The Carriage Trade) (not The Horseless Carriage Trade)'' *Commander Mc Bragg #1 (Over The Falls) *Underdog #98 (Just In Case/Episode 2) ;Episode 50 *Underdog #99 (Just In Case/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #32 (Parachuting Pickle) (932, 1002) *Commander Mc Bragg #2 (Fish Story) *Underdog #100 (Just In Case/Episode 4) ;Episode 51 *Underdog #101 (The Marble Heads/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #19 (Honey Fun) *Klondike Kat #19 (If I'd-A Known You Was Comin‘) *Commander Mc Bragg #3 (The Himalayas) *Underdog #102 (The Marble Heads/Episode 2) ;Episode 52 *Underdog #103 (The Marble Heads/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #20 (The Colonel Cleans Up) *Klondike Kat #20 (The Big Race) *Commander Mc Bragg #28 (Around The World) *Underdog #104 (The Marble Heads/Episode 4) ;Episode 53 *Underdog #105 (Simon Says "Be My Valentine"/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #21 (The Raw Recruits) *Klondike Kat #21 (Date On The Desert) *Commander Mc Bragg #29 (Indianapolis Speedway) *Underdog #106 (Simon Says "Be My Valentine"/Episode 2) ;Episode 54 *Underdog #107 (Simon Says "Be My Valentine"/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #33 (Wish Wash) (933, 1003) *Commander Mc Bragg #30 (The Rhino Charge) *Underdog #108 (Simon Says "Be My Valentine"/Episode 4) ;Episode 55 *Underdog #109 (Round And Round/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #22 (Tenshun!) *Klondike Kat #22 (Klondike Goes To Town) *The Sing-A-Long Family #1 (Picnic) (also appears in syndicated shows #301, 328)'' *Underdog #110 (Round And Round/Episode 2) ;Episode 56 *Underdog #111 (Round And Round/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #23 (Cuckoo Combat) *Klondike Kat #23 (Motorcycle Mountie) *The Sing-A-Long Family #2 (Skating) (also appears in syndicated shows #302, 329)'' *Underdog #112 (Round And Round/Episode 4) ;Episode 57 *Underdog #113 (A New Villain/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #24 (Kitchen Capers) *Klondike Kat #24 (Island In The Sky) *The Sing-A-Long Family #3 (Fair) (also appears in syndicated shows #303, 330)'' *Underdog #114 (A New Villain/Episode 2) ;Episode 58 *Underdog #115 (A New Villain/Episode 3) *Tennessee Tuxedo #34 (Telescope Detectives) (934, 1004) *Commander McBragg #33 (The Astronaut) (also appears in syndicated show #333)'' *Underdog #116 (A New Villain/Episode 4) ;Episode 59 *Underdog #117 (Batty-Man/Episode 1) *Go Go Gophers #25 (The Great White Stallion) *Klondike Kat #25 (The Island Hideout) *Commander McBragg #34 (Dam Break) (also appears in syndicated show #334)'' *Underdog #118 (Batty-Man/Episode 2) ;Episode 60 *Underdog #119 (Batty-Man/Episode 3) *Go Go Gophers #26 (Blankety-Blank Blanket) *Klondike Kat #26 (The Kat Napper) *Commander McBragg #35 (The Eclipse) (also appears in syndicated show #335)'' *Underdog #120 (Batty-Man/Episode 4) ;Episode 61 *Underdog #121 (The Vacuum Gun/Episode 1) *Cauliflower Cabbie (Introducing The Champion!) *Commander McBragg #36 (Ship Of The Desert) (also appears in syndicated show #336)'' *Underdog #122 (The Vacuum Gun/Episode 2) ;Episode 62 *Underdog #123 (The Vacuum Gun/Episode 3) *Gene Hattree (The Trap) *Go Go Gophers #27 (The Ironclad) (not The Unsinkable Iron Clad)'' *Underdog #124 (The Vacuum Gun/Episode 4)